Lukashenko on Oreshnik deployment in Belarus: this is our defence, it is important to preserve our security

The deployment of Russia’s Oreshnik complex of medium-range ballistic missiles on the territory of Belarus is the defence of our country, President of Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenko noted in a conversation with the staff of the production of fire and rescue equipment POZHSNAB in Borisov

photo: www.president.gov.by

After the meeting of the Supreme State Council of the Union State on December 6th in Minsk, Aleksandr Lukashenko asked Russian President Vladimir Putin about the possibility of deploying the Oreshnik complex in Belarus. According to the Russian leader, this is possible in the second half of 2025, after the start of mass production.

The company’s employees asked the Head of State whether the deployment of the complex would help cool down hotheads in the West. The President explained that the hint to Russian partners was voiced on the side-lines of the CSTO summit in Astana based on the situation in the world.

“I have warned all my ‘foes’ and ‘friends’: if you step on the state border line, the response will be instant. I’m not going to look at nuclear weapons or anything else. This was agreed with Russians even before they returned nuclear weapons to us. Not the weapons we gave them: those were strategic. These are tactical nuclear weapons. And this [Oreshnik] is a conventional weapon that doesn’t infect territories, but is extremely powerful,” the Belarusian leader said.

As for the Oreshnik complex, the Head of State explained, it is the latest weapon, which is very difficult to create, as it requires serious competence and many years of work, Belarus would never have done it from scratch.

“It is a powerful weapon. We need to defend ourselves. That’s why such a question was raised... We discussed it [with Vladimir Putin]: it is clear that taking such a decision means shaking the whole world. And what is there to worry about? Tomorrow, Americans and Germans (they have already announced it) will put medium-range weapons on the armament in Europe. We’re doing it in return,” Aleksandr Lukashenko noted.

The Head of State also said that the launcher in the complex is Belarus-made, explaining that our country is ready to continue supplying them if necessary, “This is our defence. I have to defend my people who elected me President. This is my major responsibility. Security is the sacred duty of the President. That’s why I brought here nuclear warheads, not one dozen... But if we also have such conventional, powerful weapons [like Oreshnik], they will think hard before they come to us with tanks, which Poles buy from Korea to America, as well as other missiles. Because the response will be serious. There is really no ‘antidote’ against these weapons: they can’t be intercepted, shot down and so on,” Aleksandr Lukashenko emphasised.

 “We have about three dozen such sites. We will choose, because there should be a minimum distance to the targets. We’re going to position and target. You may have noticed that my condition to Putin was: ‘We, in Belarus, will determine the goals, not Russians. But you will help us exploit’. That is, we will press the button together, God forbid, if it is necessary. But we will determine the goals. He agreed,” the Head of State added.

He also shared that the decision may not be popular before the election, but explained its importance, “We do not live in one day and we do not live in one election. It is very important for us to preserve our security for the future.”

He also shared that the decision may not be popular before the election, but explained its importance, “We do not live in one day and we do not live in one election. It is very important for us to preserve our security for the future.”